Another great opportunity to meet a local legend, shooting Masakazu Kinjo for the Karate masters portrait project. 9th dan in Uechi ryu karate and Ryukyu kobudo he can clearly handle himself with or without weapons. Luckily he’s a friendly guy who laughs easily and is eager to share his knowledge and passion for the martial art he loves.

Masakazu Kinjo 9th dan Uechi Ryu Karate and Ryukyu Kobudo

Kinjo sensei’s weapon of choice is the pocket nunchaku. Made of three short pieces rather than the standard two long pieces, Kinjo whirls it around his body with ease and then snaps it out towards you like a cobra strike.

Kyoto

Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Japan. 23/10/2011 Participant in Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages). Delayed by a day due to rain, Jidai Matsuri took place with a parade of around 2000 Japanese in traditional costumes.
Parade travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Costumes include Meji Restoration, Muromachi, to Heian Period

Gion Matsuri, Kyoto

Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Japan. 23/10/2011 Participant in Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages). Delayed by a day due to rain, Jidai Matsuri took place with a parade of around 2000 Japanese in traditional costumes.
Parade travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Costumes include Meji Restoration, Muromachi, to Heian Period

Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Japan. 23/10/2011 Participant in Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages). Delayed by a day due to rain, Jidai Matsuri took place with a parade of around 2000 Japanese in traditional costumes.
Parade travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Costumes include Meji Restoration, Muromachi, to Heian Period

Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Japan. 23/10/2011 Participant in Kyoto’s Jidai Matsuri (Festival of Ages). Delayed by a day due to rain, Jidai Matsuri took place with a parade of around 2000 Japanese in traditional costumes.
Parade travels from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. Costumes include Meji Restoration, Muromachi, to Heian Period

Kyoto, Japan

Tokyo

Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa, Tokyo. Small mikoshi for small children. The whole family takes part in the celebration.

Sanja Matsuri, Asakusa, Tokyo. Sometimes a different angle gives you a new perspective on a festival. Tightly packed, pushing and shoving, teams of men and women carry mikoshi towards Asakusa Shrine.

Fukagawa Fetival aka water throwing festival held at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan on Sunday Aug 16, 2014. Water thrown at mikoshi (portable shirines) carried through streets in one of the great Shinto festivals of Tokyo.

Fukagawa Fetival aka water throwing festival held at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine, Tokyo, Japan on Sunday Aug 17, 2014. Water thrown at mikoshi (portable shirines) carried through streets in one of the great Shinto festivals of Tokyo.

Maman (1999) i bronze, stainless steel, and marble sculpture of spider by the artist Louise Bourgeois at the base of Mori Tower. Roppongi, Tokyo

Godzilla Statue beside the Toho Hibiya Building, Tokyo, Japan.

Shinkansen Bullet train and Tokyo Forum Building

Dancing in the streets at the 33rd Asakusa Samba Festival in Tokyo, Japan. Sat. 14 August 2014. 22 teams including local Japanese and Brazilians bring Samba to the roads around Asakusa Shrine. Watched by around 500,000 spectators.

Dancing in the streets at the 33rd Asakusa Samba Festival in Tokyo, Japan. Sat. 14 August 2014. 22 teams including local Japanese and Brazilians bring Samba to the roads around Asakusa Shrine. Watched by around 500,000 spectators.

St. Mary’s Cathedral Tokyo, designed by Japanese architect Tange Kenzo (dedicated in 1964)

The climbing season for Mt. Fuji runs July 1 to September 14. Thousands climb the trail at night to see the dawn from the summit.

The climbing season for Mt. Fuji runs July 1 to September 14. Thousands climb the trail at night to see the dawn from the summit.

The highlight of October’s Shuri Castle Festival is a lavish recreation of the 1800 Sappou Coronation, which formalized the Chinese Emperor’s recognition of the Ryukyu King. This was particularly important for the islanders as it gave them both protection and the right to trade with China.

Elderly Okinawan lady dancing with a bottle of Awamori balanced on her head. Ryukyu Mura, Okinawa

Shuri Castle has two major annual festivals. On each of the first three days of the year, a New Year Ceremony is held in the courtyard followed by performances of Ryukyu Dance. A local woman and man are chosen to play the parts of the Ryukyu King and Queen at the ceremony.

Okinawa Rail known locally as the Yanbaru Kuina. Endemic to Okinawa and critically endangered.

Ryukyu dance performance at Shuri Castle.

Zakimi Castle, Yomitan, Okinawa.

Shuri Castle, Okinawa, japan

Surfing at Maeda in Yomitan

Cape Manza, a popular diving spot, Okinawa, Japan.

Mushaama Harvest Festival Hateruma Island Yaeyamas, Okinawa, Japan

traditional Bingata Kimono at Shuri Castle, Okinawa, Japan

A chondara is like an Okinawan clown that takes part in Eisa, encouraging both the dancers and the crowd.

Kayaking in the mangroves, Ginoza.

A young girl plays a traditional conch shell horn at the Eisa dance along Kokusai Street

2000 kilometers south of Tokyo, lies the emerald green island of Ishigaki. Surrounded by crystal-clear waters, coral reefs and white sand beaches, Ishigaki has become a heavenly retreat for urban Japanese. Cramped trains and concrete cityscapes are replaced by palm lined roads and ocean panoramas. Tsukuji Beach is a quiet stretch of sand that could best be described as paradise.

Humpback Whale Breaches off the coast of Ie Island, Okinawa, Japan

Narihiro Shinjo – Uechi Ryu Karate, Yomitan, Okinawa, Japan.

On April 3rd 2014 (3rd day of 3rd month in Okinawa calendar) Yuta (priestess) Ayako Toguchi conducts a special ceremony in a sea cave called Sururu Gama on the coast of Kouri Island, Okinawa, Japan